And then there were two
by AchikaMiyu
Summary: Three members of AVALANCHE are caught in the middle of a creature's hunt for blood. They all struggle to protect the innocent and themselves, but in the end only two will survive.
1. Awake

Note:    I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

A/N:  This fic was inspired by fantasymichelle14's fic _Friday the 13th_.  It's got a similar feel to it, but it's obviously quite different.  Nevertheless, I thought I'd give her credit for fueling my muse.

And then there were two

**Chapter 1:  Awake**

            Cold: that was the word to describe his feelings . . . no its feelings.  The creature had lost most of its sense of humanity from endless experiments and exposure to mako.  It was once a man who could understand and comprehend the word 'cold,' but now it relied on pure feeling disregarding any words to describe the sensation.

            The creature tried to ignore the nagging tingling of its freezing limbs hoping to drift back to eternal sleep.  But try as it might, the cold was seeping into its body and preventing it from returning to its previous catatonic state.  There would be no more sleep, at least not until the creature was able to fight off the frigid air.

            It struggled to move and generate some heat, but was restrained by leather bindings strapped to its arms and legs.  Flexing its muscles until the sinewy tissue was about the rupture, the creature managed to break free from its holdings only to be blocked by a solid door with a small glass window.  The anthropomorphic being curiously peered out the window to see nothing but darkness.

            Trying to poke its head through the clear glass, the creature was only capable of steaming the glass with its breath and banging its head against the hard surface.  Frustrated, anger and brute strength outweighed all logic as the creature broke the door holding it imprisoned in the pod.  Stepping out of its cell into the inviting darkness, the creature finally reentered the world that it had long forgotten.

***

            The morning sun beat down on the placid earth as three members of the group called AVALANCE slowly worked outside in the front yard of the ShinRa Mansion.  The mansion had always been the site of superstition and intrigue, but for Vincent, Tifa and Cloud it was their home.  They had agreed to stick together after defeating Sephiroth and dissolving the ShinRa Corporation that had ruined all of their lives.  Neither of them had a place to call home thanks to the corrupt company, so they chose to inhabit the ShinRa mansion and convert it to a livable abode: taking one thing from the company that only gave pain and misery.

            They had already refurbished the interior and eradicated all the monsters still living in the mansion.  It had taken them a few months, but the house was finally habitable.  Practically all traces of ShinRa had been removed from the mansion and now it became a site of determination and perseverance as each member of AVALANCE hoped to put their desolate pasts behind them and start anew.  There was enough room in the mansion for every member to have their own private room; however, visits from the others were becoming rarer and rarer as they each became immersed in their own daily lives.  That left the entire house for Tifa, Vincent and Cloud, though one member of the trio had wished to share her room with another.

            Tifa Lockheart, one of the heroines of the AVALANCE group, whose strength both physically and emotionally became a pillar to the organization.  She kneeled at the edge of the garden pulling out the various weeds that rooted themselves into the fertile soil.  Looking to her right, she saw a flurry of golden spikes shooting out above the brush.  Cloud was working diligently to rake up all the dead foliage that had accumulated over the years.  He had been her justification to fight for a better life since she joined AVALANCE.  He was her inspiration and cause for falling in love.  Yet her object of affections, her rationale, had been quietly ignoring her pleas for love as the image of a certain green-eyed flower girl had already taken his heart.  

            Tifa still kept a bit of hope that one day Cloud would notice her as their conversations have been getting friendlier with each pass, but her affections were drifting.  She let her eyes turn to the left where the dark and mysterious Vincent Valentine stood with his back to her as he trimmed the hedges.  She had caught his gaze upon her more often than not and though she tried to ignore it at first, her heart would beat with excitement whenever she saw him.  He had always been very courteous with her, letting his courtesy extend to something a bit more than a simple amicable gesture here and there.  He was doing everything that she wished Cloud would do and it tore at her heart.  

            It took her some time to finally admit it, but she was growing a subtle attraction to the quiet member of their group.  It was probably all the chivalrous actions he unconsciously did, like holding the door for her and standing up every time she entered or left the room.  She had gotten used to his gentlemanly manner: it was his nature.  Now she understood how ladies could fall so easily in love with their knights in shining armor.  Tifa felt like a real woman when she was around Vincent.  He treated her like a lady and gazed at her like a revered goddess; something Cloud had only done with Aeris.  Vincent's stares would usually last for a fraction of a second, but she had never seen his eyes shine as brightly as when he looked at her.

            She knew that it would take some time before she would completely give up her pursuit of Cloud, but she also desperately wanted to reciprocate Vincent's unspoken affection.  Her mind was telling her to forget about Cloud and open up her emotions to Vincent.  Deep down inside she knew that this was the best decision.  However, despite all her silent musings and even girlish conversations about the topic with Yuffie, love always turned a blind eye to reason.  A part of her still kept hoping that she would eventually have her first love.  If the opportunity ever arose, she knew she couldn't refuse: confusion had never been more apparent than now.  Hopefully, her heart would soon awaken and open its eyes to someone she can truly love whether it be Cloud or Vincent.

_____

A/N 2:  I'm going to finish this fic by October 13th even if it means that I have to put the other two fics [_The Search is Over_ and _Who's John ShinRa_?] on hiatus (which probably will happen).  Just so you know, it's going to be four chapters long.  One down, three to go!


	2. Hunger

Note:  I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

A/N:  This fic was inspired by fantasymichelle14's fic _Friday the 13th_.  It's got a similar feel to it, but it's obviously quite different.  Nevertheless, I thought I'd give her credit for fueling my muse.

**Chapter 2:  Hunger**

            Vincent felt a pair of eyes watching him as he was trimming the hedges along the edge of the property.  He knew that it was Tifa and he wanted desperately to turn around and smile back, but a certain blond, blue-eyed individual prevented him from ever capturing her heart.  He had begun to relish in Tifa's company ever since he was released from the coffin in the basement. She was one of the few AVALANCE members who would treat him like a normal human being rather than a freak of nature.  She listened to him and respected him, unknowingly aiding in his personal atonement for his sins against Lucrecia.  

            Lucrecia: Vincent's sin.  She was able to capture his heart so easily with her beauty.  Vincent had been with many women before, but none were fatal as his romance with Lucrecia proved to be.  There were many women who only had brains and others only beauty, but Lucrecia had both.  She was too tempting to ignore, similar to a certain martial artist he knew.             Tifa also had her qualities.  She had a beauty that was both internal and external that everyone, especially men, noticed.  She had a strong sense of duty and compassion.  He could always trust her in battle as a warrior and also as a friend.  Tifa was not a woman: she was an extraordinary woman.  Her scent was so intoxicating to him that even the monsters he harbored in his body would shift restlessly. 

            Chaos, his most feared and demonic form, held the most interest in his female companion.  Vincent had always found Tifa to be attractive, but it wasn't until he received Chaos as well as his gun the Death Penalty that he started to desire the young martial artist.  Vincent had never been able to determine whether Chaos sparked his desire for Tifa or if it was his own repressed lust that he never acknowledged until after emotionally releasing himself from Lucrecia.  He only knew that his heart had found someone else to hold onto, but like Lucrecia, he couldn't have her.

            _"Weak.  Pathetic."_

_            "What do you want Chaos?"_

_            "The same thing you do, Valentine."_

_            "And what, pray tell, would that be?"_

_            "The girl,"_ Chaos purred._  "She would make a perfect mate."_

_            "Don't think such thoughts about her!"_ Vincent snapped in anger.

_            "And why shouldn't I?  You do,"_ Chaos laughed.

            Vincent was at a loss of words for how to respond to Chaos.  He knew that the creature was right.  Vincent wanted to maintain his dominance over his inner demons and letting Chaos get the last say in this argument was not helping him keep it.  He had finally thought of a good retaliation but had no time to voice it when he heard Tifa softly padding his way.

            He turned and saw the young woman smeared with bits of dirt and sweat all over her body.  Her shirt clung to her body as she smiled at him and rubbed some sweat off her forehead, only smudging some more dirt on her face.  Vincent could still hear Chaos laughing as he tried to calm his nerves from reacting to her unruly, yet seductive appearance.__

            "I just wanted to tell you that I was going to take a quick shower then make some lunch.  Is there anything in particular you want to have?" she asked politely.

            "I'll be fine with anything you make.  No meal you've made has disappointed me yet," he answered honestly.  

            "Oh, Vincent, you always say the most encouraging things to me," she blushed.  "But Cloud said he was hoping for some of my famous chicken and dumpling soup, does that sound good?"

            "Yes, that would be nice," he smiled one of his rare smiles.  She was constantly looking out for everyone and putting their needs before her own.  He always admired her for this peculiar trait.

            "Great!  Then I better get started.  I'll call you two when lunch is ready," she smiled as she turned around and ran back into the mansion.

            He watched her back fading into the distance before it disappeared behind the mansion walls.  Once he saw that she was safely back in the mansion, he focused on getting back to the hedges.  But before he could return to the task at hand, he heard Cloud slowly making his way over.  Vincent turned to face his comrade as he watched the blond-haired man walk with a slight twinge of hesitation in his step. 

            Cloud unconsciously rubbed the back of his head before he finally spoke what was on his mind.  "Vincent, can I ask you a personal question?"

            "What is it?"

            "Well . . . how did you finally get over Lucrecia?" Cloud asked cautiously, fearing that he was treading in hazardous territory.

            Vincent was shocked that Cloud had asked him about Lucrecia.  The leader of AVALANCE had never shown any interest in learning more about the pasts of his other comrades.  Vincent took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before he finally answered.  "It took many factors for me to finally overcome my feelings for her, time being one of them.  I told you when I was released from the coffin that I had been seeking atonement for my sins; well, Lucrecia was my sin and after killing Hojo I was halfway towards redemption.  The other half came from Lucrecia herself.  Do you remember the waterfall cave?"

            Cloud nodded as he carefully listened to all of Vincent's words.

            "She was there, at least her spirit was.  I was given the opportunity to talk to her one last time, to see her before she eventually faded away.  She was the one who gave me my current weapon the Death Penalty.  That was the weapon I used to kill Hojo.  It is also the token of her forgiveness, her last gift to me," Vincent said calmly as if he had rehearsed these very words before in his mind.  He was about to mention Chaos, but decided to forego that.  It wasn't Cloud's place to know.  "All of that combined with time helped heal the wounds."

            Cloud bent his head down in contemplation, "I see.  Were there any other factors?"  
            Vincent was about to mention his growing attraction for Tifa, but that was also another piece of information that Cloud didn't need to know.  "No."

            "Thanks for telling me.  I know it must have been hard to say all that.  I'm sure you know I'm still trying to get over the death of Aeris," Cloud said sadly.

            "Yes, she was a special person.  The planet lost a great ally when she died," Vincent said flatly.

            "Yes, she was," Cloud said with a melancholy tone.  "But I think it's time for me to get over her.  I want to be there for Tifa.  She and I lost everything to Sephiroth.  I even lost myself, but Tifa's always been there for me and I think I'm ready to do the same for her.  Do you think falling in love again will help me get over the loss of Aeris?"

            Vincent listened to Cloud's words carefully and felt his throat constricting in a mixture of anger and defeat.  He knew if Cloud reciprocated Tifa's feelings that his chance with the raven-haired beauty was lost.  Slowly he swallowed each of Cloud's words like a nail and calmly collected himself.  "Yes, I think it will and I think that would make Tifa very happy."

            "Thanks Vincent, I'm glad I have your approval," Cloud said as he patted his comrade on the back.  

            Cloud returned to work feeling energized after his talk with Vincent.  He would have to find the right time to tell Tifa his feelings, but he knew he had all the time in the world as well as the support of his friends.  However, Cloud never noticed Vincent stiffening at his friendly gesture or the vacant look in his eyes as he mentioned his growing affection for Tifa.  He blindly put his trust in his comrade never once thinking that he was Vincent's rival for Tifa's love; thus his enemy.

***

            "How much longer until we're out of the mountains?"

            "We're not even close to the half-way mark," the man said with a tone of annoyance.  "I can't believe you decided to walk with us rather than taking the airship.  I'm sure grandma is turning in her grave worrying about you."

            "Well, a little walk never hurt an old man did it?"  

            "Grandpa, do you need to rest up a bit?" a young woman gently asked the older man who was heaving.

            "Oh, that would be wonderful, Marie," the old man nodded as he found a nice sturdy rock to sit down on.

            "Mommy, I'm tired!" a little boy whined as he rubbed his eyes.

            "Go ahead and take a little nap next to your great-granddaddy, ok?" Marie lightly patted the boy.

            The boy only grunted in acknowledgement as he lay down on the blanket his mother had placed neatly on the ground next to the tired old man.

            "Got any leftovers from breakfast Marie?" the old man asked his granddaughter-in-law.

            "Grandpa, you already ate a huge breakfast and you're still hungry?  It's bad enough that you're delaying our caravan to Rocket Town, but do you really have to eat all our provisions?"

            "Oh come on William, don't be so harsh on him.  The others need some rest too, not just your grandfather," Marie chided.

            "We have a funeral to get to and my two brothers and I are needed there by the end of the day tomorrow.  We don't have much time to dilly-dally," William snorted as he paced uneasily.  

            Marie rolled her eyes as she brought out a roll for her husband's grandfather and walked over to the other two men sitting down to offer them her sheepskin of water.  The group had left the quiet town of Nibelheim earlier that morning to catch an early start on the mountain pass that would take them to Rocket Town.  They hadn't been on the path that long, but since most of the trek was an uphill climb, it wore out the travelers quicker than they had anticipated.

            "Bryan, Andy, how are you two holding up?" Marie asked the two younger men.

            "We're fine, thanks for your concern," Bryan, the youngest of the three brothers, said sincerely.  

            "Yeah, don't worry about us.  We're just as tough as our older brother if not tougher," Andy joked.

            "Hey, I heard that!" William interjected as he also made his way towards his wife and two younger brothers.  "Don't make me prove to you who's the toughest."

            "Hey, no problem bro, I was just kidding ya know," Andy waved his hands up in part defeat and part defense.  Anyone who knew William's temperament never wanted to be on the short end of it.

            The old man smiled as he watched his grandchildren bicker a few yards away from him.  He slowly took a bite out of his roll and enjoyed the breeze that gently blew past.  He carefully stroked his young great-grandson's head so not to wake him.  He could have taken the airship along with his aging children, but the trip would have been boring and uneventful.  Watching the younger generation of his family, he saw how his family name was going to survive.  He may have chosen the longer and more grueling journey, but he would never have missed feeling this serenity for the world.  

            Smiling to himself, he closed his eyes as he let the muffled argument of his grandsons flow through his ears like water.  He took another bite of the roll and let the taste linger before finally swallowing, but the masticated piece of bread caught itself along his esophagus.  He wanted to cough and ease the burning pain in his throat, but the searing pain in his lower back trumped his choking.  

            The old man was about to reach around to find the obtrusive object jabbing him in his back until he heard a low guttural sound a few inches away from his ear.  He didn't need to turn around to know that some wild animal was behind him and was going to turn him into his morning snack.  In his prime, the old man would have been able to fight whatever beast was along these mountain paths, but he was far from being able to defend himself.  He wanted to scream to warn his grandchildren, but the offending piece of bread was still lodged deep in this throat and he couldn't find his voice.  

            There was only one thing the old man could do to warn them and he hoped that his arm wouldn't let him down.  He flung the last remaining piece of roll at his bickering grandchildren and watched as it hit William square in the back of his head.  He would have smiled if he didn't have to see the look of annoyance turn into pure horror as his grandchildren all turned to face him.  He also probably would have laughed if he didn't know that he was about to die.  Despite that, the old man did smile one last time hoping that he gave his grandchildren the chance to run away and survive: feeling nothing but peace as the creature ripped its talons into his throat.

***

            Tifa meticulously cut up the vegetables before dropping them in the steaming chicken broth.  After covering the large pot, she checked her watch and set the egg timer for fifteen minutes until she had to work on the next step of making the thickener.  The chicken had already been marinated, seasoned and grilled.  Tifa even brought out the necessary bowls and ingredients for the dumplings, but it was still too early to get started on them.

            After surveying the kitchen one last time to make sure nothing else could be done, she smiled in satisfaction as she walked over to the kitchen where a novel lay waiting for her return.  She had found the book in the library down in the basement.  It was one of those mystery novels where the main characters were one by one being murdered by some unknown entity.  

            She was almost finished with the novel and eager to find out how it ended.  Finding her bookmark, she let her imagination run rampant as the words formed images in her mind.  She never thought that a few simple words were capable of igniting such vivid images.  She was thoroughly enjoying the suspense as each page drew her closer and closer to uncovering the murderer.

            The egg timer finally buzzed interrupting Tifa's train of thought.  She quickly replaced her bookmark and stopped the annoying shrill noise.  She felt a bit frustrated that she couldn't finish the novel, but lunch needed to be finished.  Checking on the pot to make sure the broth was ready for the thickener, she nodded her head in satisfaction before heading for the door.

            "Cloud, Vincent!  Lunch will be ready in fifteen minutes," Tifa yelled out the door at the two men working in the yard.

            Cloud waved back at Tifa smiling brightly and Vincent politely bowed.  She smiled to herself as she watched the two men from the door.  _Who needs to read a murder-mystery when I can't even resolve the conflicts of my own heart?_

            Cloud let his gaze linger on the body of his childhood friend who stood in the doorway of the mansion.  He had always known that Tifa was extremely beautiful.  She was his first crush and the reason why he joined SOLIDER.  Unfortunately, all that changed when he met Aeris.

            Aeris had been the most amazing woman he had ever met.  He wasn't sure if he could ever forget her, but at least he had his first crush still by his side.  Barret had always told him that Tifa had feelings for him.  He never gave it a second thought because he needed time to mourn over Aeris's death.  But that was a year ago and now Cloud was ready to move on.

            He and Vincent had already made their way back into the mansion to clean up before lunch.  They both made it to the table as Tifa was spooning out hearty helpings of her soup.  Cloud recounted the last time he had some of her famous soup.  They thought it was going to be their last meal.  Tifa had insisted on making something special for everyone before they went down into the heart of the Northern Crater to fight Sephiroth.  Luckily for them, it hadn't been their final meal, but he never forgot the savory taste of her soup.  At first, he thought the soup was excellent because it was going to be the last thing he ate, but Tifa had many gifts and cooking was one of them.

            Sitting down and taking his first bite of the chunky broth proved that Tifa was one of the best cooks he knew.  The recipe was exactly the same, but the mood was different.  There was no impending doom awaiting them or the fate of the entire planet slung on their shoulders.  There was only the satisfaction of eating a hot meal after working part of the day out in the yard.  Cloud and Vincent both genuinely savored each bite.

            "I hope you both enjoy it," Tifa asked as she scraped up some more soup into both of their finished bowls.

            "Yes, it's as good as the last time you made it," Vincent replied.

            "Yeah, Tifa.  This is the best thing I've ever eaten," Cloud replied in between bites.

            "Well, I'm glad you both liked it.  I just hope you don't expect all of the meals I cook to be that good," she said as she picked up her bowl and the empty pot to take it to the sink.

            "Oh, Tifa, let me help you with the dishes.  It's only fair since you slaved in the kitchen all day," Cloud said while taking the dishes away from Tifa's hands.

            He smirked as he watched her blush.  They left to go into the kitchen leaving Vincent at the table to finish his bowl of soup.  Cloud never noticed the pained expression on Vincent's face as they left the table, but Tifa did.

            The pair made light conversation as they scrubbed the dishes.  Tifa wasn't sure why Cloud had suddenly offered to help her with the dishes.  It was a task he always despised doing.

            "So, what plans do you have for tonight?" Cloud asked as he dried one of the bowls.

            "Nothing much really.  Just hoping to get some reading done.  Why do you ask?" Tifa shyly inquired.

            "Oh, I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk around the town?  We haven't really done anything together since we moved in here.  Just you and me, how does that sound?" Cloud added in a hopeful tone.

            "That sounds wonderful Cloud," she quickly replied.

            Cloud grinned upon hearing Tifa's answer.  He wanted to say more, but their private conversation ended when Vincent walked in carrying his dirty dishes.

            "Oh, Vincent!  I hope you don't mind if Tifa and I take a walk together tonight," Cloud said gleefully.

            Vincent mechanically moved to dunk his dishes in the soapy water before replying, "that would be fine.  Tifa if you don't mind, I'd like to finish the rest of the dishes for you."

            Tifa nodded her head and stepped to the side giving Vincent better access to the sink.  She felt guilty for agreeing to the walk with Cloud.  She needed to clear her mind and get out of the house with the two men who unconsciously pulled on both ends of her heart.

            "Cloud, Vincent, I'm going to the market to get a few things for the house.  I'll be back shortly," Tifa said innocently.  Finding her excuse to get out of the house.  

            "Ok, Teef.  I think we're running low on milk by the way," Cloud added.

            "Ok, I'll get some more milk while I'm out.  Anything for you Vincent?"

            "No, I'm fine.  Thank you for offering," he gently said.

            Tifa's eyes locked with Vincent's as he talked and she saw a look of understanding in his eyes.  She never figured out how Vincent could be so perceptive.  It was probably why he used to be a Turk.  Tifa saw how his eyes absorbed their surroundings, taking in all the images and processing them like a machine.  His eyes could bore down to the depths of a person's soul and still have room to go even further.  They were so different from Cloud's.  Cloud's eyes had a look of innocence and gaiety like a young child's.  Tifa was sure that Cloud would never outgrow his boyish looks.  Even though he was a seasoned warrior and had experienced many hardships, there was always that hint of naivety in his eyes.  

            Tifa tried to refocus her thoughts on the task at hand.  The two men had become her distraction and she needed to channel her thoughts elsewhere or she would only drive herself into a deep chasm of confusion.  After excusing herself from the room, she quickly grabbed her bag of gil before making her way to the Nibelheim market.  

            It was always refreshing to walk out into the cool crisp air.  She was becoming reenergized and walked with a certain bounce in her step as if she had no cares or worries in the world.  The trip to the market and back helped clear her mind and gave her a moment to herself.  

            Unfortunately, she wished she could take more time away from her roommates.  A part of her wanted to return to the mansion to see both Vincent and Cloud, but another part didn't want to face them: to have that feeling of uncertainty and indecisiveness over the two men.  

            The gates of the mansion stood before her, ready to welcome one of its present owners.  As she reached for the gate, she heard the wailing of a distressed woman come from the trail towards the Nibelheim Mountains.  Tifa turned and saw three men and a woman half-running, half-walking down the trail.  One of the men was dragging the woman who kept on trying to run back up the path.  It seemed like the strangest sight to the average person, but Tifa had seen the look of shock and desperation on that woman's face many countless times before.  Someone died on the mountain path, someone very dear to her.

            The group got closer and closer to the mansion gates, still trying to calm their female companion.  Tifa could have opened the gates and made her way back into the mansion without giving the group a second thought, but she had a high sense of duty and needed to know what happened. 

            Before Tifa could ask the travelers, the hysterical woman spotted Tifa and broke free from her husband's grip to run towards her.

            "Please, please help me!  My baby's still up there!"

            "Marie, please!  You know we can't go back up there!"

            "William, it's going to eat our baby, we have to go back," the woman pleaded with her husband as tears raced down her face.

            The man grabbed the woman and held her close.  Tifa could see tears forming as the man tried his best to comfort his wife.  

            "Please Marie.  I don't want to lose you too.  Please don't.  We'll find someone to find Jacob for us.  He's a big boy now.  He'll be alright," the man said while stroking her hair.  He knew they were empty words and that their son was probably already dead, but it was the only hope he could offer.

            Tifa didn't know exactly what had happened in the mountains, but she heard enough to know that these people were in dire need of help.  "I might be able to help you all," she said loud enough so the four travelers could hear her.

            Marie lifted her head up in hope after hearing Tifa's offer.  "You can?  You can go and save my baby?"

            "Well, I'll certainly try.  And if I can't do it, I have two friends who will help," trying to sound as confident as possible.  "Do you have a place to stay?"

            "No, we don't Ms.  . . . ?" Bryan asked while silently staring at Tifa.

            "Tifa Lockheart," Tifa said while nodding her head.

            "Nice to meet you Ms. Lockheart.  Here let me get those bags for you, they're probably quite heavy," Bryan said smiling while grabbing the groceries.

            Andy was also staring at the beautiful woman who offered her help.  "Hi, Tifa.  My name's Andy.  That person over there is my younger brother Bryan and this is my older brother William and his wife Marie," he said while shaking her recently freed hand.

            Tifa stood a bit bewildered at the men's actions.  "Hi, nice to meet you all.  But let's go inside so I can get you all settled and plan out how to save Jacob," she said while releasing her hand from Andy's so she could open the gate.

            The four travelers followed closely behind Tifa never letting her image leave their sights, especially Bryan and Andy.  She knew that she needed to find out exactly what happened up in the mountains.  She would also have to explain to Cloud and Vincent why she was harboring these people.  Though the task seemed daunting at first, she knew that it was at least a distraction from facing Cloud and Vincent alone.  

            They finally made it to the door and opened it to reveal a stoic Vincent with both of his legs propped up against a desk.  Bits and pieces of gun parts were littered on the desk as well as a few brushes and oils.  Vincent noticed the small band of people in the house and raised an eyebrow at Tifa who only gave him a rueful smile in response.  Wiping some oil off his hands, he strapped on his red cloak that was hanging on the back of the chair and quickly worked on cleaning up his tools.  Needless to say, the image was not the warmest of welcomes for the travelers.  Everyone stood in silence as Vincent calmly sat up and tucked one of the guns that hadn't been disassembled yet in his holster.

            "I see that we have guests, should I go fetch Cloud?" Vincent asked.

            "Yeah, that would be great Vincent," Tifa replied before showing the travelers some nice sofas to rest on.  

            Tifa took the bags of groceries from Bryan and told them she would make some tea for everyone while Vincent went to get Cloud.  Andy and Bryan both glared at each other trying to figure out if Vincent was Tifa's husband or relative.  Their faces fell when they saw Cloud walk into the room.

            "Hey, Teef, did you get the milk?" Cloud shouted towards the kitchen where Tifa took the groceries.

            "Cloud!  Can you think of something else other than food?  We have guests who need our help," Tifa shouted back from the kitchen.

            Cloud turned around to see the four travelers sitting on the sofas in the den.  Marie was still crying relentlessly with William to comfort her and Bryan and Andy stared at both Cloud and Vincent dumbfounded as to why two men were living with such a beautiful woman.  The situation turned from uncomfortable to awkward as Cloud and Vincent stood in a staring contest with Bryan and Andy.  Cloud wasn't sure what to say whereas Vincent was always quiet to begin with and retained that stance.  Luckily for the pair, Tifa walked in carrying a tray of teacups and a pot of tea.  All of the men, excluding William, were relieved to finally see her return to the room.  

            "Here, this will help comfort you," as Tifa poured a cup for Marie who took it graciously.  

            "Thank you for your kindness Ms. Lockheart," William answered for his wife.

            "Please, just call me Tifa.  I feel like an old woman when you call me Ms. Lockheart," Tifa smiled as she poured the remaining cups of tea.  "I know this will be hard on you, but what exactly happened in the mountains today?"

            Marie tightened the grip on her teacup while William tried to stifle a tear.  Andy and Bryan knew that they were too emotionally distressed to recount their horrific journey.  The brothers cleared their throats and nodded to one another before starting.

            "You all may want to sit down for this," Bryan began.

            Cloud took a seat in the nearby chair while Vincent stepped back against the wall where the shadows were the darkest.  Tifa found a chair next to Cloud's and focused her attention on the two brothers who were about to tell their tale.

_____

A/N:     I wanted to get this done earlier, but Hurricane Isabel hit and I was without power for a few days.  Grrr!  I'm still working on the rest of the fic and during the power outage brainstormed part of the last chapter with my boyfriend *cough cough*  I'm hoping to have the next chapter up next week if all goes well.****


	3. Anger

Note:    I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters.

A/N:  This fic was inspired by fantasymichelle14's fic _Friday the 13th_.  It's got a similar feel to it, but it's obviously quite different.  Nevertheless, I thought I'd give her credit for fueling my muse.

**Chapter 3:  Anger**

            None of the AVALANCE members interrupted the two brothers as they told them their reasons for traveling, what happened to them and who was lost on the way.  The room was silent after Bryan and Andy finished recounting the horrific event that took place in the mountains of Nibelheim.  Vincent still stood in his corner while everyone else remained glued to their seats transfixed on what they heard. 

            Cloud was the first to break the silence, "the creature you said killed your grandfather, did it look sort of like a human?"

            "Yes, it did," Bryan answered.

            "Yeah, you should've seen that sucker.  It had these huge biceps and claws about the size of swords," Andy added.

            "I think those are the same creatures that are stuck in those mako pods up at the reactor," Cloud said pensively.  "All the pods were secure the last time I was up there, but it's possible one of them may have escaped."

            Tifa's head shot-up after listening to Cloud's theory, she remembered hearing about the creatures powering the rectors.  Apparently they had been part of Hojo's experiments.  Cloud had said that all of the creatures were once First-Class SOLIDERS.  There wasn't any scientific research done to prove the findings, but most theorized that the over-exposure to mako warped their bodies until they turned into hideous creatures.

            She stole a glance over at Vincent who hadn't moved or flinched from his dark corner.  She knew that he, as well as Cloud, was a victim of countless experiments from the late ShinRa scientist.  Though Cloud underwent mako-related experiments and tinkered on the edge of becoming one of the monsters Cloud encountered in the reactor, he was never tortured and humiliated like Vincent.  

            "Will you all help us?  Please, help us get our baby back," Marie pleaded.

            "We'll help you.  Won't we?" Tifa said as she turned to both Cloud and Vincent.

            "Yeah, if it involves those creatures, we have to.  Everything ShinRa left behind has to be destroyed," Cloud stated like an ultimatum.

            Vincent stepped out of his dark corner and started to head up to his room after Cloud gave his response.

            "Vincent!  Where are you going?" Tifa demanded.

            "I'm going to get my gun and head out to the mountains to see if I can find the boy," he said flatly.

            Tifa only shook her head and smiled as she watched him leave the room.  She was afraid that his cold demeanor reflected his feelings about the situation.  But under that cloak of mystery was the real Vincent Valentine: warm-blooded by nature, but cold-blooded when necessary.  She knew that it was better for him to check the mountain paths for Marie and William's son.  She would never be able to face the couple if their son were dead and Cloud was never loquacious with strangers.  Vincent had experience with these situations and knew how to detach himself emotionally when necessary.  

            Now that they agreed to help the travelers, the group decided to rest for the evening.  There was no use in heading up to the mountains tonight when there was a dangerous creature on the loose.  It would also take time to gather the materia and supplies they needed to ensure their safety.  Putting the most needy first, Tifa escorted everyone to one of the many unoccupied rooms in the mansion.  Cloud had offered to get dinner at the local pizza parlor so she didn't have to cook for seven people.  She also wanted to catch Vincent before he left to explore the mountain paths.  She was working at such a frenzy getting clean sheets and towels for their guests that she almost missed him as he was about to leave the house.

            "Vincent, wait!" Tifa quickly shouted as she scrambled to put things in their proper place.

            The stoic man turned around and waited patiently for Tifa to finish her tasks before asking her the reason for the delay.  He smiled underneath his cloak as he watched her run and reach out towards him as if he was going to fly away if she didn't catch him in time.

            Tifa finally reached him and quickly caught her breath before speaking, "Do you even know your way around the mountain paths?"

            "It shouldn't be too difficult to maneuver.  I've traveled them before when I was a Turk."

            "Well, a lot has changed so wait here just a moment while I draw you a map," as she went into the den to get a pen and some paper.

            She came back shortly and started drawing a few lines here and there along with directions and landmarks.  Vincent watched her as she paused for a few moments trying to remember something.  He wanted to reach out and touch her long silken hair or wrap his arms around her while she was diligently working.  He knew he couldn't though, at least not yet.  

            "There!  All finished," Tifa said proudly as she handed him the hand-drawn map.  "This should help you while you're in the mountains.  There are a lot of twists, turns and small paths that not many people know about."

            "Thank you Tifa," Vincent said as he took the map.

            His hands lingered on hers for a brief moment as he locked his eyes with hers.  

            "Please be careful and come back safely," she said with compassion.

            "You have my word that I will," he promised.  

            He stood at the doorway for a second, contemplating whether or not to hold her for a moment before he left, but decided against it.  He had a job to do and there was no time to think about romance.  Closing the door gently, he walked out in the afternoon sun and slowly made his way towards the precarious mountain path.

            _"You are a fool Valentine.  You could have so much but you're always too afraid.  Take the girl, make her yours!"_

_            "Chaos, be still!  Unlike your race, we humans like to have consensual love."_

_            "That truly is a laugh.  It certainly explains why **your race meddles in the most inane things.  How do you stand it Valentine?  How do you live as a human being?"**_

_            "As you should know Chaos, I'm hardly human anymore.  You and your three friends have ensured that,"_ Vincent said bitterly.

_"What's the curse of immortality if you don't have some fun with it."_

_"Trust me, I do not consider spending the rest of eternity with you, fun.  But if you must know, I was barely what you would call human even before Hojo changed me."_

_            "Once a Turk, always a Turk," _Chaos finished for him.

            Vincent smirked as all his internal monsters were cackling over their little parley.  He suddenly felt as if he reached some mutual understanding with his internal beasts, something that he had never achieved before.  He was either letting his monsters take one step closer to becoming more humane, or he was taking a step closer into becoming more of a monster.

            He made his way up the treacherous mountain paths and silently thanked Tifa for the map.  He was certain that without it he would be walking around in circles.  As he cautiously hiked up the terrain, he didn't see anything suspicious.  He wasn't sure how far the travelers had hiked before they were attacked.  Suddenly, he sensed movement from up above him along the ledges.  He knew that there was a creature lurking along the cliffside but whether or not it was the monster he was looking for still had to be determined.

            Vincent held his gun tightly to his body, ready to fire in a split second if necessary.  A few pebbles fell in a dusty heap along the path and Vincent knew that the creature was going to attack.  Vincent kept his ground and tuned his ears to the sounds around him.  He didn't want to give the creature any impression that he was ready to fight.  Within a matter of seconds, the creature leaped from its hiding place on top of the cliffs to pounce on its prey.  Vincent caught its sudden movement and turned around with his gun cocked in lightening speed.  

            Along the mountainside, a gunshot rang out and echoed loudly through the Nibelheim Mountains.  Birds flew out of their nests from the sudden shock and woodland creatures scurried home.  Silence filled the air as seconds turned into minutes.  Nothing seemed to move or breath.  There was no movement or indication that anyone or anything ever took the mountain path that Vincent had followed before he encountered the creature.  All that was certain was that there was no sign of Vincent Valentine.

            Cloud came home with the pizzas as promised and everyone in the ShinRa Mansion feasted on the hot sustenance, everyone except Tifa.  It had been a few hours since Vincent had left to explore the mountains and there had been no sign of him.  The sky grew darker by the minute and his dinner laid ready at the table.  She was worried.  

            She tried cleaning and entertaining the guests to get her mind off of the silent man, but like how she couldn't calm Marie from worrying about her baby boy, Tifa couldn't stop thinking about him.  Even Cloud grew concerned over the long delay of their comrade.  He knew of Vincent's capabilities and it took more than one monster to take the man down.  Cloud had a feeling that tomorrow would be a long day.

            Tifa tried to enjoy the scrumptious dinner that Cloud brought home, but her stomach was tied in too many knots to digest the pizza.  Luckily for her, the hot food along with a hot shower was all her four guests needed to relax and get to sleep.  They had a trying day and they needed their rest if they were going to face the mountain path once more.  Cloud and Tifa had agreed to escort them to Rocket town to ensure their safety and kill the creature that preyed on the travelers' companions.  It was the least they could do for them and they had a duty to protect other unsuspecting travelers who wanted to venture into the mountains.

            Dinner had come and gone and three slices of pizza were all that remained.  Tifa insisted that they save the remaining slices for Vincent.  She refused to give up on him and knew that he would come back.  He had promised her that he would and Vincent was never one to go back on his word.  Even Cloud kept his promise that they made at the well many years ago.

            Tifa suddenly remembered that she had agreed to take a walk with Cloud this evening.  They had been so busy with their guests and planning their trip tomorrow, it had completely slipped their minds.  She knew that it was far too late for them to be out at night and they couldn't leave their guests alone in the mansion by themselves.  She had to find Cloud and apologize.  

            She had last seen him walking towards his room so she started her search for him up there.  Once she finally made it to his room, she found the door open and expected to see Cloud lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling, but there was no Cloud.  _Where did he go off to?_  Tifa resumed her search for him around the mansion.  She didn't find him in the kitchen or the den where she expected him to be, she walked back up the stairs hoping to find him back in his room when she heard the piano playing from the ballroom.  

            It was one of the tunes she had taught Cloud how to play when they were children.  A smile crept up her lips as she made her way to the ballroom to confront her childhood friend.  She finally reached the room and silently watched as Cloud fumbled with the keys.  He was definitely out of practice, it showed in the awkwardness he was playing and the offbeat notes that resonated from the grand piano.  Cloud had been concentrating so hard on trying to play the piece that he never noticed Tifa standing at the doorway.

            "Dammit, how did this stupid song go anyway?" he said frustrated.

            "Hey, it's not a stupid song!  That happened to be one of my favorites as a kid," Tifa teased.

            Cloud stood upright after hearing Tifa's voice and knocked the piano bench over.  "God, Tifa.  You scared me!  How long were you standing there?"

            "Not that long Cloud.  But want some help with the piece?"

            "Nah, I was just about finished anyway," he said as he put the bench back in its rightful place.

            "In that case, let me play a song or two," she said as she slid alongside Cloud on the bench.

            She absentmindedly started to play the same song Cloud had tried earlier, but she had been practicing so the song had flow and melody.  Cloud sat and stared at Tifa's face as she focused on the piano.  He always wondered why she chose to be a fighter when her fingers and hands were so delicate.  She seemed so meek, yet deep down inside she was a strong person.  Cloud knew that, she had given him her strength many countless times when he thought he couldn't take one more step or breathe one more breath.  

            Tifa finished playing the piece and turned to face Cloud who had been silently admiring her.  She blushed when she realized that he had been watching her this whole time.  

            "Cloud?"

            Cloud didn't answer, but only gazed into her ruby-red eyes admiring its clarity.  

            "Cloud?" Tifa asked again but a bit louder.

            "Huh?  What?"

            "You zoned out for a while.  What were you thinking about?"

            "Oh, nothing in particular," he said while scratching the back of his head to try and hide his embarrassment.

            Tifa chuckled at his behavior.  He had been much more open and friendly these past few days, especially today.  Then she remembered the reason why she came to find him.  "Oh, Cloud I know you wanted to take a walk tonight, but with all our guests here and everything happening, is it okay if we do it later?"

            "Yeah, that's fine.  I kinda figured it was a bad day to do that sort of thing.  But maybe tomorrow," he said cheerfully.

            "Yeah, tomorrow," Tifa repeated softly.

            Cloud let his hand gently touch her cheek as he rose from the bench and walked to the door.  He took one more look at Tifa who sat on the bench still blushing from when he touched her cheek.  _I'm going to have to tell her soon.  _

            "Goodnight, Tifa.  Sleep well," Cloud said as he tried to imitate a bow.

            "Goodnight Cloud," Tifa said as she smiled.

            Tifa held her hand up to the cheek that Cloud touched and smiled.  That was the first sign of affection he had ever given her.  Her heart beat erratically as her eyes lingered on the door where Cloud was.  She left the ballroom and made her way back downstairs to the den walking in a love-struck stupor.  All her thoughts were on Cloud as she hummed a joyful tune while cleaning up the kitchen.  It wasn't until her eyes landed on the three remaining slices of pizza that her thought wandered back to Vincent.  He still hadn't returned.

            Thoughts of love and romance were replaced with worry and concern as she looked outside the window to see if there was any trace of the lone gunslinger, but she only stared out at an empty void.  The moon emitted an eerie blood-red glow and Tifa shuddered.  She needed to get her mind off of Vincent and staring out the window helplessly was not going to ease her worries.  

            She quickly grabbed her book and tried to concentrate on the story she had been reading earlier that day.  Her eyes scanned the words, but none of them were sticking to her conscious.  Her mind was too distracted to concentrate on a novel.  She needed to put her mind at ease and decided to go up to the mountains to find him.  Before she could reach the stairs, she heard the front door creak open.

            Her heart beat rapidly as she watched the large wooden door gradually open wider and wider until the darkness from outside started to pour into the well-lit room.  Her body couldn't move an inch as her eyes were fixed on the person walking through the door.  It was Vincent.

            Tifa scanned his body to see if there were any noticeable injuries, but he kept his body hidden behind his red cloak.  She didn't see any damage done to his cloak and he didn't appear injured.  After establishing that there were no injuries a part of her felt relieved, but the other part was upset that he had worried her.

            "Vincent!  Where have you been?  You have no idea how worried I was.  I almost ran out there to get you," Tifa was practically fuming.

            She was about to berate him further when he held out his hand to get her attention.  He held a powder-blue blanket with little teddy bears that Tifa thought was adorable, but it was stained with a dark crimson liquid.  She choked back a gasp as she looked to Vincent for any hope on his face.  He only shook his head as he walked closer to Tifa until he was right in front of her.

            "I'm sorry, this was all I could find."

            "Then, he's . . . dead," Tifa said sullenly.

            "Yes," Vincent said flatly.  "Are they asleep?"  
            "Yes, they're asleep.  Should we wake them?"

            "No, let them have this one night to dream and hope."

            Tifa nodded her head sadly as she slowly reached her hand up to touch the blanket that dangled off of Vincent's hand.  Vincent handed the blanket to Tifa as she gazed upon the mangled material.  Tifa always loved children; he could tell by the way she played with Barret's daughter, Marlene.  Even though Tifa never met Marie and William's son, she was distraught that the boy was gone.  

            "I should wash it for them, so they don't have to see all the blood on it."

            "I think they would appreciate that.  Did you need my help?"

            "No, you should get to bed.  You've been out all evening hiking in the mountains.  You've done enough for tonight.  Thank you though," Tifa said as she forced herself to smile.  "Oh, we left some pizza for you.  It's in the kitchen if you're hungry."

            "Thank you.  I suggest you get some rest as well.  Goodnight Tifa," Vincent said as he bowed gracefully.

            "Goodnight Vincent."

            He felt her hands wrap around his body in a tight embrace.  He welcomed her warmth and returned the embrace as he dipped his head lower so he could feel her hair against his cheek.  Vincent wanted to hold her forever, just like this.  Tifa was the first to release her embrace though Vincent could have sworn she hesitated.  They didn't speak any more words as he grabbed the saved slices of pizza and made his way towards his room.  

            He made sure that Tifa was safely in her room before entering his own.  The fireplace was crackling as he shut the door.  Vincent smiled knowing that she had lighted the fireplace to his room.  It was pleasant feeling the warmth emit from the fire splashing bits of light around his dark room.  Tifa was like that fire, spreading her warmth to Vincent whenever she was near.  She was a light he feared he would never have.

            He gazed at the fire as sparks popped off of the burning logs in odd intervals.  Vincent opened his desk drawer to put away his guns and materia he took on his expedition.  He riffled through his pockets and came across the map Tifa had drawn for him.  The folded piece of paper had some dark red stains on it: stains from blood.  It's amazing the things you'll do and the secrets you'll keep for the sake of love.  Vincent dropped the map in his desk along with all his other items and shut the drawer before getting himself ready for bed.

            Morning came and the occupants of the ShinRa Mansion busied themselves with preparations for their long arduous journey.  Tifa had wrapped the boy's blanket in some white tissue paper.  She wanted Vincent to give the bundle to Marie, but he had insisted that she do it.  It was easier for women to comfort each, especially about a sensitive topic as the death of her son.

            Marie had been staring at Vincent all morning, hoping for him to talk to her and tell her that he found her son.  She clutched the hem of her shirt as she watched the tall man walk past her and escort her husband into a private room to talk.  She wasn't sure why the man refused to look her in the eye or speak to her.  She was about to interrupt the conversation between her husband and Vincent when Tifa walked up to her.

            "Morning Marie, I hope you slept well," Tifa said cautiously.

            "I did.  Thank you Miss Lockheart," Marie smiled.  "But I wanted to speak to Vincent to see what he found.  Did he tell you how his trip went last night?"

            "Yes, yes he did," Tifa almost flattered.

            "What did he see?  Is my baby . . . dead?" Marie asked, knowing all to well that if Jacob were alive he would be in her arms right now.

            "I'm sorry Marie, but this is all Vincent could find," Tifa said as she handed him the tightly wrapped bundle.

            Marie took the bundle graciously and held it to her heart.  "This was his favorite blanket.  He could never fall asleep unless he had it with him."

            Tears started to drop in the tissue paper that covered the remnants of the blanket.  It had taken her and William five years to finally have a child.  They had pampered and adored their son for the three years he was alive.  Marie felt like a piece of her died up on the mountains along with Jacob.

            Her husband had learned of his son's death through Vincent and he also felt empty inside.  He went over to his wife and embraced her while she cried on his shoulder.  

            "I'm sorry we left him.  I'm so sorry.  Please forgive me Marie," William softly begged his wife.

            Marie wanted to be angry, wanted to yell and scream and him for running away, but her husband loved Jacob as well and the guilt of leaving him behind was probably eating at his soul.

            "I forgive you.  I know we had to run," Marie sobbed.

            Vincent and Tifa left the couple alone so they could mourn.  Andy and Bryan hadn't asked about their nephew, but already speculated that he was gone when they saw the blank expressions on Vincent and Tifa's faces.  The family said that they were on their way to a funeral, but it looked like they would have to plan for two more.

            After everyone had gotten themselves ready, they embarked on their journey through the mountains.  The group stuck close together with Tifa leading while Cloud and Vincent covered the back.  The air was tense and there were no birds or animals roaming the area.  Cloud had an uneasy feeling about the eerie silence.  He had wanted to ask Vincent what went on up on the mountains, but never got the chance to ask.

            Finally the swordsman stopped and turned around to motion for Vincent to catch up to him.  The gunman saw Cloud's silent plea to talk and slowly made his way towards his comrade.

            "Vincent, did you see anything when you went up here last night?"

            "No," he said flatly.

            "I'm worried Vincent.  If this creature is what I think it is, then we'll have to be extremely cautious," Cloud said softly so no one else could hear.

            Cloud hoped that he was wrong.  He and Vincent could probably handle one of those creatures.  He had his sword and Vincent always had his transformations should the monster overwhelm them.  His main concern was for Tifa who, though a capable fighter, wouldn't stand a chance against this creature fighting with only her fists.

            The soft rustling from the bushes alerted the two men.  Cloud quickly scanned the area and panicked as he and Vincent had drifted too far from the group.  They sprinted to catch up with Bryan and Andy who trailed behind hoping that the rustling in the bushes was just a squirrel or a rabbit.  They were only a few yards away when a blurred gray figure leaped out of the bushes and dove into Bryan, forcing the man to fall off the cliff with the large creature.  

            The group stood in horror as Bryan screamed for his life as the sounds of ripping flesh echoed along the cliffside.  Cloud and Vincent tried to find where Bryan landed, but the bottom was littered with jutting rocks and crevices, it was almost impossible to discern where the bodies would have landed.  Marie tried to cover her ears to block out the blood-curdling screams that bounced off the rocky terrain.  

            Cloud was frustrated and upset at himself for letting the creature kill one of the travelers so easily and quickly.  _Shit, I fucked up!  We gotta get out of here._  Without giving a second thought, he quickly barked out his orders.

            "Run!  Run up further along the mountains," he yelled.  

            Everyone was in full agreement of his command and followed suit as they ran as fast as they could up the path.  Cloud was hoping that the creature had fallen far enough down the path that it wouldn't be able to catch up to them.  He also hoped that the creature would be able to sate its appetite off of Bryan.  Cloud silently mourned for the man.  He never stood a chance against the creature.  It moved far to fast for Cloud to even get a glimpse of it.

            He watched as William and Marie started to tire and slow down.  He hoped that they had trekked enough distance that the creature wouldn't chase them.  He was also getting a bit tired as he carried his large Ultima Weapon strapped to his back.  They needed to rest.

            "Tifa, you can stop!" Cloud yelled as he panted.

            Tifa stopped running and walked over to Marie who was gasping for breath.  The poor woman wasn't used to such strenuous exercise.  The group rested and sat in silence.  No one wanted to say anything for there was nothing they could say to ease the pain of another loss.  

            Cloud let his eyes gaze upon the faces of his comrades.  Tifa and Vincent had quickly recovered from the sprint.  Cloud knew Tifa had been working out, something he should have been doing but neglected.  William, Marie and Andy looked worn out.  These people were not fighters or athletes, they were simple everyday people stuck in an unfortunate situation.

            Cloud knew that he had to make sure that no one else died today.  He had his resolve and nothing was going to stop him from fulfilling it.  Feeling revitalized, he quickly scanned his surroundings and noticed they were close to the bridge taking them to the reactor.  He guessed that they would be safe at the reactor.  Once they made it there they would be halfway towards Rocket Town.

            "Is everyone ready to go?" Cloud asked the group.

            Tifa and Vincent nodded their heads in response while William helped his wife up on her feet and indicated to Cloud that they were ready as well.  Andy sat on a rock and didn't even hear Cloud.  He was staring at the ground, still shocked at the events that just took place.  He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Cloud who again asked if he was ready to go.

            "I told you that sucker had talons the size of swords, didn't I?" Andy laughed uneasily.

            "Yes, yes you did," Cloud said sympathetically.

            "You know, that could have been me.  I was walking right next to him and talking to him.  One minute he and I were just joking around and the next, I feel this whoosh of air and then he's gone."

            "There was nothing you could've done," Tifa said softly.

            "I know.  And don't think I blame you all either, cause he was right in the middle.  It could have been one of you all as well.  But I'm talking too much," Andy said as he stood and tried to conceal the tears that were forming.

            Cloud let him walk off towards the bridge.  He knew that he needed his space.  Tifa and Vincent walked next to William and Marie to protect them from another attack from the side.  Cloud walked up to the bridge and cautiously watched how it swayed slightly as Andy slowly crossed it.  Cloud needed to catch up to him before he walked too far and set his fears aside as he took a step on the wooden boards.

            Andy knew he probably shouldn't be so far ahead of the group, but he didn't want them to see him so upset.  He was angry with himself for letting Bryan get taken by the monster.  He was the one who had insisted with William to keep on traveling by foot since they had three members of the famous AVALANCE group to protect him.  He was so naïve and careless.  He should have known that it would be near impossible for three trained warriors to protect them from a bloodthirsty monster like that.  

            He stepped off the bridge onto the other side and stopped suddenly when he saw the trail of blood along the mountain path.  The heavy scent of blood filled the air and he knew that the creature was near.  He slowly took a step back and eyed the bushes where the trail of blood stopped.  

            "Everyone, get back!  It's here!" Andy yelled.

            He felt the bridge move slightly as the group quickly made their way back.  Andy pulled out his hunting knife that he always kept with him in case of emergencies.  There certainly was no better emergency than this one.  

            Andy heard someone quickly making his way towards him and he silently wondered what idiot didn't hear him yelling.

            "Andy, let me pass.  You need to get back with the others.  I can handle the creature."

            It was Cloud.  "It's in the bushes right now.  If we're quick enough we can cross the bridge and then cut it so it won't follow."

            Before Cloud could respond, the creature had leaped out from its hiding place and roared with its arms out-stretched towards the sky.

            "I guess I spoke too soon," Andy said.

            The two men were fixated on the large beast standing on the other side of the bridge.  Its grayish skin had splotches of red blood from its earlier kill.  Its snout was also covered in the sticky liquid.  The creature started to advance towards the bridge and walked on it in a very humanlike manner.

            "Cloud, take William and Marie and get out of here!"

            "No, Andy, you can't fight this thing.  Let me handle it."

            "Do you seriously think you can swing that giant slab of metal you call a sword on this bridge?  Besides, I'm in front of you and there's no possible way for you to get past me without causing us both to fall off."

            Cloud was at a loss for words.  Andy was right.  There wasn't anything he could do on the bridge.  "Well, if we can't fight then you're coming with me."

            "No, Cloud.  If I move from where I am, he'll get to you all on the other side.  Just go!  I'll be ok," Andy said as he turned and winked at the spiky-haired warrior.

            Cloud hated to lose one more person, but he was ousted by logic once more.  Putting his hand on Andy's shoulder he said one last thing to him, "you're a good man.  I promise to get your brother and sister-in-law to Rocket Town safely."

            "Cross your heart and hope to die, Cloud.  Now get the fuck out of here!"

            Cloud quickly turned around and made his way back to the other side.  

            Andy was alone with the creature on the bridge.  The creature was slowly advancing towards the lone man breathing heavily as it watched its prey through its gray eyes.  Andy was about halfway back towards the other side but the creature was only ten yards away and quickly closing the gap.  He had no chance of making it out alive and silently cursed for not doing all the things he wished he had before going on this trip.  As much as he wanted to think about the things he would miss, the lives of five people rested in what he was about to do.

            "Come on you little fuck, come over here and get a little piece of me you fucking son of a two-penny whore!"

            The creature growled in agitation and advanced even more hastily towards the man.

            "That's it bitch, come and get a taste of me," Andy said as he readied his knife.  "Just a little closer shithead."

            The creature had closed the gap between them and pounced on the man.  Andy watched as the creature jumped up and with a flick of his wrist, cut the rope holding the bridge together.  The last thing Andy did was smile as he felt his body falling along with the flailing creature.  He hoped that the fall would kill the monster and he would be the last victim for the day.

            Cloud and the others watched as Andy and the creature fell to their deaths.  Marie sobbed as she watched another member of her family perish.  Tifa tried her best to comfort her, but two deaths in a row also affected the fighter.  She knew that they would have to take the longer, more treacherous path to get to the reactor.  Tifa only hoped that the creature was dead and they wouldn't have to worry about any more attacks or witness any more deaths.  She smirked a bit as she remembered the mystery novel she was reading.  _So this is what it feels like_.

            Vincent and Cloud spoke briefly about what course of action to take next and both agreed to press on.  Andy's death was especially hard on Cloud who felt helpless as the man sacrificed his life for him.  _Why must all the good people die?  He died protecting us, just like Aeris._  

            The rest of the journey was spent in silence as they slowly made their ascent towards the Nibelheim Reactor.  Tifa, Vincent and Cloud all kept their senses alert and jumped at every noise or irregularity in the air.  The travelers finally had the reactor in their sights and breathed a bit easier as they walked up to the abandoned building.  

            The area still reeked of processed mako even though it had been shut off shortly after the Meteor incident.  They carefully walked up the steps of the reactor and entered it, locking the doors behind them.  The interior hadn't changed since Cloud visited the reactor.  Tifa visibly shook in reprehension as she eyed the ground where she found her father murdered by Sephiroth's sword.  This place held many bad memories for her that she would rather not revisit.

            "We should be safe.  I don't think the creature can get through a locked door," Cloud said, hoping to ease the tension.

            "How much further are we towards Rocket Town?" William asked as he held his wife.

            "We're at the halfway point.  There's a bit of a climb, but after that, it's all downhill," Tifa responded.

            "Do you think that that monster is dead?" Marie asked hopefully.

            "It's possible, but we should still be cautious in case it's not," Cloud said as he scanned his surroundings.  "Either way, we should get some rest here while we have the safety of this building to protect us."

            "Cloud, do you smell that?" Vincent asked.

            "It's only the mako, the stench is really heavy when you're standing right here.  You know, this is where I killed Sephiroth the first time."

            "No, it's not the mako, it's something else: something metallic," Vincent said as he focused his sense.  "It's blood."

            "Shit!  Vincent, come with me.  Tifa, stay with William and Marie," Cloud ordered.  

            The two men opened the door leading to the main chamber that held all the pods.  They cautiously peered through the entrance making sure that there were no monsters lurking in the corners.  There was no sign of any living creature in the area and the pair slowly entered the chamber.  

            All the pods were glowing eerily as the mako-creatures slept inside.  There was one open pod that Cloud noted was from the creature Zack and Sephiroth killed many years ago.  The other opened pod was up on the top level and Cloud and Vincent walked up to it only to see a sight they wished they never had.  

            Stuffed inside the pod were the remains of the creature's victims.  Vincent saw the small shreds of powder blue cloth from Jacob's blanket and Cloud winced in horror as Andy's knife lay soaked in blood.  Cloud and Vincent both looked at each other and knew that they were in danger.  The pair wasn't sure how the creature got in and out of the reactor, but didn't want to stay and find out.  

            "We have to destroy this place," Cloud said as he held his sword in front of him defensively.

            "Do those gasoline tanks still have gas in them?" Vincent asked as he pointed to a tanker in the corner of the room.

            "I don't know, but there's no harm in finding out," as Cloud pulled out a mastered fire materia and cast the strongest fire spell he had.

            The tanker erupted in a ball of flame quickly engulfing a few of the mako-pods that were near the tanker.  Vincent fired his gun into the tanker on the other end and watched in satisfaction as it too erupted in flames.  The two men quickly left the room and shut the door behind them to keep the flames from spreading too quickly before they could escape.  

            Tifa, William and Marie looked at the two men confused as to what caused the two large explosions.  

            "Cloud, what's going on?" Tifa asked.

            "We're leaving.  This place isn't safe anymore!"

            Cloud quickly led the group towards the exit with Vincent covering the rear.  They were only a few feet away from the door when they heard the screeching of many monsters.  Marie screamed as the loud banging of many hands were heard vibrating off the door to the main chamber.  The explosion had woken some of the mako-creatures and they were now being burned to death.  

            The group hoped that the door would hold and none of the monsters would escape to attack them.  The banging slowly died down and the screams quieted until the only sound was the beating of their own hearts that seemed to drown out the crackling of the fire burning in the next room.

            After Cloud knew that all the creatures had perished, he quickly unlocked the door to the outside and opened it cautiously.  There was no sign of the creature and he breathed a sigh of relief.

            "It's all clear guys!  Let's mosey!"

            Tifa was relieved as she heard Cloud say those words.  Though it seemed safer in the reactor, she never enjoyed the building with all the bad memories it held.  She absentmindedly clutched her chest and traced her finger along the scar that Sephiroth had given her that horrible night.  She was relieved that the place was finally being destroyed.  She hoped all her nightmares would burn along with the reactor.

            Tifa watched as William and Marie ran in front of her towards Cloud.  They were almost there; it was only a few more feet.  Before William could reach the door, a loud roar echoed from beneath them.  It was the creature.

            The creature leaped up from the bottom of the mako well and grabbed Marie by the throat.  William and Cloud froze in terror as the creature faced them.  It taunted them by squeezing her throat tightly so that his claws dug into her skin, slightly piercing it.  

            "Let go of my wife you monster!" 

            But the creature only took a step back.  

            Tifa watched the back of the creature and noticed how it was limping.  Her eyes gazed at the creature's legs and saw that the creature's knee was contorted.  Andy was able to injure it during the fall.  She reacted on pure adrenaline and took a flying leap with her foot aimed at the back of the creature's head.

            The monster sensed Tifa's movement and used its free hand to claw at the fighter, but it wasn't able to stop Tifa's foot from making contact with its head.  Tifa's stomach caught the brunt of the creature's talons and she was almost flung over the catwalk to her death, but Vincent quickly grabbed her hand in the nick of time.  

            The creature roared in anger and with a flick of its wrist, snapped Marie's neck killing the woman instantly.  He released his grip on the dead woman to let her body fall lifelessly down into the mako well.  

            William watched helplessly, as the body of his wife fell like a rag doll.  He had lost everyone he held dear to his heart.  This creature took his grandfather, his son, his brothers and now his wife.  He didn't care what happened with his life, all he knew was that this creature needed to die and he had to make sure it happened.  

            William looked at Cloud who was trying to peer over him and check to make sure Tifa was safe.  He saw the fire materia that Cloud was holding and quickly snatched it away from him while running towards the howling creature.  He had used materia before when he was a teenager.  His grandfather was teaching him how to use it in case of emergencies, but he had never really paid any attention to his lectures.  How he wished he had listened a bit more carefully, but there was no time to regret actions from the past. 

            Charging at the monster, he dove head first into the creature's gut while casting a fire spell.  _I wonder if we all go to heaven after we die.  If so, maybe I'll see them again._  His last thoughts were of Marie and Jacob before he felt the fire engulf his entire body.  The impact of William's hit and the fire spell knocked the creature over and both William and the creature fell down into the mako well in a scorching fireball.

            Tifa, Vincent and Cloud watched as William and the creature fell to their doom in the glowing green mako.  Tifa clung to Vincent, upset that everyone had died and Cloud punched the wall in anger for failing all of them.  The warriors silently left the Nibelheim Reactor and watched as it slowly burned to the ground.  Vincent healed Tifa's wound with a cure spell before they all hung their heads low and made their descent back to Nibelheim.  

            The AVALANCE group had never failed a mission before, never seen the death of so many innocent people in one day.  It was a hard hit for the group, especially Cloud who blamed himself for their deaths since he was the leader.  But the trio walked away and prayed that the dead had found some solace knowing that the creature was finally dead: at least they thought it was.

_____

A/N:     Ok, so this chapter was posted a day late.  I will post the last chapter by my projected date.  Warning, the next chapter will contain a lemon and the chapter title is going to be 'Death and Desire.'  See you next week!


	4. Death and Desire

Note:    I do not own Final Fantasy VII.  

A/N:     This chapter contains a lemon near the end.  Be warned!

**Chapter 4:  Death and Desire**

            The three AVALANCE members shamefully hiked down the mountain path.  Today had been a dark chapter in the history of AVALANCE, one that would take them many years to forget.  They chose to travel the rest of the way in silence as they contemplated the mistakes they had made and the things they could have done differently.  

            Tifa felt uncomfortable with the lack of conversation.  She needed to talk to someone before she broke down in tears.  She didn't want to cry or appear weak, yet she was.  Tifa held her arms folded across her chest hoping the warmth would calm her.

            "Tifa, are you alright?"

            Tifa turned to face Vincent who wore a concerned expression.  He truly was an observant man.

            "I'm much better now, thanks for asking," Tifa smiled, instantly cheering up.

            Vincent nodded his head in acknowledgement and kept close to her in case she needed a shoulder to lean on.

            Tifa looked over at the tall man and blushed as she saw him smile back.  She let her eyes drift to Cloud who walked a few paces ahead.  His shoulders were slumped and his fair frayed.  The deaths of the travelers were weighing heavily on his conscious.

            She questioned whether or not she should take a risk and talk to him.  He had such a bad habit of bottling-up all his frustrations.  She was afraid that he would keep everything inside until he burst without ever telling his friends he was hurting.  

            Quickening her pace, she cautiously approached Cloud.  "Cloud, I think we need to take a quick break."

            Cloud didn't seem to hear her at first as he continued to walk.  His mind was too preoccupied to listen.  He felt like a failure again.  He had failed as a Sephiroth clone, failed to save Aeris and failed the small group of travelers who needed a safe passage to Rocket Town.  He didn't want to tell their surviving family members that they were gone.  Cloud also realized that he never caught any of their last names, yet another proof of his incompetence.  He wasn't sure how he was going to contact their family when he didn't know whom to call.

            He would have continued to wallow in his own doubt were it not for the gentle tug on his sleeve.  Cloud turned to face an extremely worried Tifa.

            "Cloud, are you ok?  I think you need to take a break, we've been walking nonstop for over an hour now."

            He didn't want to walk back home before it got too dark.  The sun was still visible along the horizon.  It wouldn't be too long before it would set.  He was about to object to Tifa's suggestion, but all the decisions he had made today ended in someone's death.

             "Yeah, we probably should take a break," Cloud resigned.

             The trio didn't have much further to go before the ShinRa Mansion would appear over the bend.  They all sat down on some nearby rocks to stretch their legs and drink some water before they had to resume their hike.  No one was certain about what to say, they could have complained about the aches in their legs or the hunger in their stomachs but that conversation would have been too superficial.

            Tifa was the first to muster the courage to speak.  "Do you think its dead?  I mean, really dead?"

            "I certainly hope so, Tifa," Cloud sighed.  "I just wish there was more we could've done to protect them.  Maybe we should've called everyone up like Yuffie and Cid so no one would have had to die."

            "You tried your best Cloud.  They all know you did.  We just weren't expecting it to be so fast and powerful," Tifa said, trying to consul him.

            "Maybe you're right Tifa.  But I feel like I failed them."

            Tifa wanted to hold him, to stroke his head and tell him that everything was going to be fine.  She didn't want to see him hurt.  She slowly started to close the distance between them and Cloud looked up just as she was about to put her hand gently on his back.  His blue eyes held a frantic gaze, as if he were a frightened child who had lost his parents.  The bright glint of an unshed tear briefly flashed in Cloud's eyes before he blinked it away.  

            Cloud buried his head in Tifa's arms and let his frustrations flow freely.  He needed to hold her, to convince himself that she was still alive and not going to leave him.  It pained him to see her so worried for his well-being.  He should be the strong one to hold her when she needed to cry.  He should be comforting her and stroking her hair, whispering comforting words into her ear.  But he wasn't because she was much stronger emotionally than he was.

            Tifa held Cloud closely to her breast while she felt his hands close around her body seeking comfort and reassurance.  She feared that he would revert to a catatonic state similar to how he was in Mideel when they found him after losing him in the Northern Crater.  She didn't think she could bear to live through that again.  It pained her too much to see such a strong man reduced to an incoherent mass.

            The pair was too engrossed to notice their dark-haired companion turn his back to them in a mix of defeat and anger.  Everyone was clouded with emotions that it was almost too late to react before Vincent finally noticed the scent of burnt flesh.  

            "Tifa, Cloud!  It's here!"

            Vincent's warning came in the nick of time for Cloud to see the creature lunge towards Tifa's back with its sharp talons ready to rip through her flesh.  He couldn't see her die by the hands of this monster.  Quickly putting his hands on Tifa's waist, Cloud twisted her body around so that she was safely away from the monster's talons, but in doing so put himself in the range of the attack.  

            He never yelled or cried in pain as he felt the razor-sharp claws rip into his back and pierce through his body.  He could feel warm blood slowly trickle down the sides of his mouth as he watched Tifa's horrified expression.  She didn't have any blood on her shirt besides his blood and the dried blood from her previous injury: she was safe.  

            Cloud was dying and he knew it.  He regretted never killing the monster that preyed on all the travelers.  He was never able to keep his promise to them, but he could die knowing that he did fulfill his promise to Tifa one last time.  He saw that she was crying now, he hated to see her cry.  He felt the gentle call of the lifestream pulling him away from the living world.  He prayed that Vincent would be able to kill the monster and take care of Tifa where he failed.  

            Two warm hands held his body as it collapsed forward.  He felt his head resting against Tifa's lap as she heard her pleas to live and open his eyes.  He never knew that he had closed them, but he let his eyes focus on Tifa's face one last time before he would close them forever.  She was still beautiful despite her tears.  Cloud could hear gunshots off in the distance and knew that Vincent was taking care of the monster.  He looked back at Tifa and saw behind her the apparition of someone who shouldn't be alive, someone who he couldn't save or confess his love to before his chance was lost.  

            He closed his eyes one last time before letting her name escape his lips, "Aeris."

            Vincent saw the monster running towards Tifa and he quickly drew his Death Penalty to fire at the monster.  Before he could aim, Cloud had already grabbed her and pulled her away from danger.  Vincent breathed a soft sigh of relief before firing a few seconds too late to save Cloud.  He stole a brief glace at Tifa to make sure she wasn't harmed before continuing his firing at the badly burned monster.  

            The scent of burnt flesh and gunpowder filled the air along with the screams of pain from the monster.  Vincent hoped that riddling the monster with bullets would distract it from Tifa.  He smirked at his success as the monster came barreling at him like a charging bull.  Vincent let the monster hit him with its full force, triggering his transformation into the fearsome demon, Chaos.

            The monster slunk back in fear and confusion as he saw the human change into a demon.  The monster lunged at Chaos with one if its talons, but only had its wrist caught by the demon who was twisting it until bones broke.  Chaos grabbed the monster by the throat and flew up into the air with the monster in tow until they were far enough away for anyone to hear the creature's screams of pain.

            "You . . . you promised me eternal life if I did your bidding," the monster stuttered in a deep guttural voice.  "The swordsman is dead, why?"

             "You hurt the girl, my Master never wanted you to hurt her.  You dishonored his agreement," Chaos grinned flashing his sharp teeth.  "Now you're mine!"

            Chaos ripped through the monster's flesh like paper and reduced the once strong creature into nothing more than mincemeat.  The demon licked his claws clean of the creature's blood and laughed maniacally as he dropped his enemy's remains along the mountainside.  

            The demon flew back to where his master's companions were and allowed his master to regain control as he landed on the soft ground.  Vincent walked over to Tifa who was crying over Cloud's dead body.  He had a gaping hold in his stomach from where the creature stabbed him with its talons.  No cure or revive spell could repair the damage done to the swordsman.  Cloud Strife was lost to the world forever and Vincent Valentine didn't care.

            Vincent's main concern was for Tifa who would need time to mourn for her childhood friend.  He quietly walked over to the girl and kneeled beside her trembling body.

            "Tifa, Cloud's death has been avenged," he said gently.

            Tifa turned to Vincent and flung her arms around him while letting her sorrows be heard by the stoic man.  "He tried to save me Vincent.  He tried to save me and there was nothing I could do but watch."

            "Don't blame yourself.  He saved you to let you live," he said as he stroked her silky hair.

            "I know.  I know.  It just hurts so much," she said as she wiped her tears away.  "At least he's with Aeris now."

            Vincent noticed how she said that with a hint of pain and jealousy.  He wasn't sure what Cloud had said to her before he died, but Vincent knew that the man's last thoughts were not of the beautiful raven-haired girl mourning over his death.  

            "Come on, let's get back home.  I'll take care of Cloud's body."

            Tifa only nodded her head in agreement as she let Vincent lift Cloud's body up with ease.  She took Cloud's Ultima Weapon and the pair walked the rest of the way back to the mansion leaving behind the death and carnage that took place in the mountains.  

            Vincent lay Cloud's body in a coffin situated the in the mansion's basement while Tifa put the Ultima Weapon across his body and his arms across the precious blade.  It was late and they would have a long day ahead of them.  Everyone had to know about the death of the leader of AVALANCE but tonight was too late for Vincent or Tifa to make the announcement to the world.  For now his body would remain safe in the basement and the world would get one night to subconsciously think that the planet's protector was alive and well.

            Tifa allowed Vincent to escort her back to her room to rest.  She ate and showered answering to the needs of her body.  The last thing she needed was sleep, but her mind was racing with too many thoughts to rest.  She was in deep mourning for the death of Cloud, but that was not the only reason why she was so distraught.  Her mind drifted to his last word.  She knew that she could never compete with Aeris, even though the flower girl was dead.  

            Tifa had hoped that Cloud would allow his heart to love her, but she realized that he never could ignore his love for Aeris.  A part of her heart died as she felt a mixture of relief, pain and anger.  At least now, she knew who her heart would choose as the last traces of her affections for Cloud were locked in the coffin down in the basement.  

            Letting her mind thing about the mysterious Vincent Valentine, she thought about all the unrequited feelings she held for him and he held for her.  Now she wouldn't have to deal with the guilt of betraying her love of Cloud for another man.  She wanted to go to Vincent, but Cloud's death still haunted her memory.  Tifa knew that she had time and did not have to rush into a relationship, at least not now.

            She lay down on the bed, exhausted from the day's events.  Her eyes wandered to the book she had been reading.  Turning to pick it up, she sat up straight and started to read to get her mind off of the horrific sights she saw today.  

            At the point where she stopped, there were still three people left alive after everyone else had been murdered.  She read each page in anticipation of discovering who the killer was, but one by one the characters died until there was no one left, not even a killer.  Tifa put the book down quietly as she thought about the day's events.  She and Vincent were the only one's left and in the novel, a man and a woman were the last two survivors until the man was shot and killed.  The woman, in utter despair, was found hung leaving no survivors in the novel except the policemen who found all the bodies.  

            Tifa shivered in fear as she felt alone and cold.  She knew that Vincent wouldn't leave her, but she was also affected by the ending of the novel that she worried he would end up like the man in the story.  _Why does everyone have to die?  First Bryan, then Andy, then Marie and William.  Also, Cloud.  Is Vincent next?  _She did not want to take any chances tonight or make the same mistake as she did with Cloud.  Vincent had to know her feelings before something horrible happened again.

            Vincent dressed after his hot shower and lit the fireplace that kept his room warm at night.  The flames were dancing here and there as if they also knew of the victory that he celebrated today.  He removed all the guns and materia he carried with him on today's mission and opened his desk drawer.  His eyes caught sight of the folded piece of paper Tifa had used to draw a map of the Nibelheim Mountain paths.  

            He pulled the sheet of paper out and unfolded it revealing the crisp black lines that Tifa drew, which were covered with think red lines of blood.  The blood was both Vincent's and the creature's: a pact signed in blood by the pair last night along the mountainside.  He smirked as he saw the contract come to a close with the death of his rival, Cloud Strife.  He quickly ripped the contract in half and tossed it into the hungry fire.  Vincent watched the flames consume the paper, destroying the only piece of evidence tying him to Cloud's death.  Now there would be no more obstacles in between him and Tifa.  

            No sooner had the paper finally burnt to ashes did a gentle knock interrupt his silent reveries.  Vincent turned to see Tifa standing at his doorway in a long white robe.  He slowly soaked in her image as she wrapped her arms around her shaking body.  Underneath her robe, Vincent could see bits of her red silk slip peeking out of the white fabric enticingly.

            "Are you alright?" he said slowly while closing the distance between them.

            "Vincent, I . . . I'm so scared," Tifa said letting small streams of tears gently fall down her face.  "I've seen too much death and I'm afraid."

            "What are you afraid of?" Vincent asked gently as he wrapped his strong arms around her protectively.  

            Vincent hated to see her cry.  He knew that it wasn't part of her nature to break down emotionally.  Tifa was a strong girl, but everyone has their limits and she reached hers today.

            Tifa buried her head in his chest and savored his warmth.  She did not want this moment to end.  She knew that the monster was finally dead, but then they had thought that twice before the creature killed another member of their party.  She feared that the creature wasn't killed and would break through the glass window and kill them both while they stood there in each other's arms.  She didn't want to die without at least knowing or experiencing true love.

            "I'm afraid of losing you," she said as she filled tilted her head back to gauge his reaction.

            She could see the corners of his mouth tilt up in a smile as she felt his lips firmly press against hers.

            "You'll never lose me Tifa.  I promise you that," he said before partaking in another deep kiss.

            She felt his hands roaming her body and yank at the robe.  Tifa didn't resist as he pushed the offending garment off her body, leaving her in her red slip and nothing else.

            Vincent stepped back to see her full figure in the slip that revealed her long legs.  Her eyes held a hint of unbridled lust and slight trepidation.  She was a virgin, he could tell.

            "Do you want to?" Vincent asked, determined not to let his desires override Tifa's wishes.

            Tifa stared back at Vincent, barely able to contain the urge to leap into his arms and feel his lips again.  She had never experienced anything beyond a simple kiss.  She had always wanted her first time to be with someone she trusted and she trusted Vincent.

            "Yes," she said as she reached out for him.

            Her one simple word was the invitation he needed as he resumed his previous fondling.  Tifa wasn't certain what Vincent was planning or what she should do, but the tender touches of his kisses all over her body ignited a fire deep within her.

            Vincent gently pushed her against the wall and let his trails of kisses trek lower and lower on Tifa's body until he found that special place.  Tifa gasped as a surge of pleasure ran up her spine.  She kept her hands gently on Vincent's head, running her fingers through his fine hair.  He pulled one of her legs to rest along his shoulders giving him better access to her private place.  She tasted like nectar off of an exotic fruit.  Vincent worked diligently as he listened to her soft pants that only grew louder with each taste.  

            Tifa felt a tingle form in her body that only grew and grew with Vincent's gentle touch of his tongue and lips.  Her heart beat erratically and a sudden wave of pleasure surged through her body like a tidal wave.  She drowned out the sound of the roaring fire with her screams of ecstasy.  

            Beads of sweat trickled down her body and clung to her slip as she watched Vincent wipe his face of her moistness.  She leaned in and kissed the remaining bits off his face as she clumsily tried to unbuckle his belt.  It wasn't something she had experience with and it took her a few minutes to figure it out.  After she successfully unlatched the restraint, she curiously let her hands snake down into his boxers to find her prize.

            Touching Vincent was like squeezing the rock hard muscle of a lean man.  She let Vincent remove her slip as she returned the favor and helped him out of his shirt and pants.  The couple stood there kissing with only the fire to warm their bare bodies.  Vincent bent down and took Tifa in his arms planting gentle kisses on her lips and body.  He carefully laid her on the bed and climbed on top of her.

            "I'll be gentle."

            "I know," she said nervously.  "Before you start, there's something I want to tell you."

            "What is it?" Vincent said as he continued to kiss and massage her body.

            "I think I love you," she said as she went in for a deep passionate kiss.

            Vincent smiled as they broke the kiss and replied, "I know I love you, Tifa."

            That was all she needed to hear from him, to know that she was finally going to experience love.  He kept his mouth locked with hers as he finally sunk deep inside her.  Their bodies interlaced themselves in the building passion and ecstasy that encompasses the act of lovemaking.  Vincent kept his eyes locked with Tifa's and when red mingled with red, two souls found the deep passion of love that would never falter so long as their hearts beat in time.

            Vincent opened his eyes and smiled warmly as Tifa rested her head on his chest.  She was everything he had hoped she would be and more.  He had made love to many women, but none of them held as much passion or intense feelings as his experience with Tifa.  She truly was an extraordinary woman.

            _"Savor it while you can Valentine, she's only a mortal."_

_            "Will you ever let me have a moments peace?"_

_            "You should know better,"_ Chaos chuckled._  "But you know how to make this **precious moment last forever."**_

_            "I could never curse her with that."_

_            "So instead you'll watch her grow old and die?  And I thought you had feelings for this one with all the effort you put into getting rid of . . ."_

_            "Shut-up Chaos!  What do you know about love?"  
            "Not much, but I do know that you're head over heels for the girl and if she were to die, you'd make my life a living hell for the remainder of all eternity."_

_            "Looking out for yourself as always I see,"_ Vincent snorted.

            _"And you.  You know what they say, a happy host is a happy parasite," Chaos laughed._

            Vincent knew Chaos was right.  He couldn't live without her touch or her smile.  He had been devoid of love for far too long and finally found a woman who cared for him as he her.  He didn't know if Tifa would want to spend the rest of eternity with him, but he knew that he couldn't sit by and watch her wither and die of old age if he had the power to prevent it.

            _"Do you and your friends swear that you'll never harm her?"_

_            "We all swear it.  Demons' honor," _all his monsters echoed in unison.__

_            "I never knew that demons had honor."_

_            "We don't.  We just thought it'd sound better if we said it,"_ Chaos laughed.  _"But seriously, I will ensure her safety.  I like her, she's strong."_

_            "As long as your attraction for her remains unrequited,"_ Vincent warned.

            _"Like I said, a happy host is a happy parasite."_

            Tifa shifted restlessly as she felt Vincent move.  His soft skin suddenly turned into a cold reptilian texture.  Tifa's eyes shot open as she looked over to where Vincent would have been only to see herself lying naked next to Chaos.

            "Chaos!" she screamed.

            But the creature only held a finger to her lips to silence her.  Tifa pulled the covers up to her chest to try and hide her bare chest.  She didn't know why one of Vincent's monsters had decided to make an appearance.  She hoped that it wasn't going to happen every time they slept together.

            "Hello Tifa," Chaos said as gently as possible.

            "Hello . . . Chaos," Tifa said timidly.  

            "My Master wants to make you his forever."

            Tifa blushed when she heard these words.  It felt strange coming from a demon, but she knew that he was telling the truth.  The only thing that puzzled her was why he was here with her now.

            "Why did Vincent let you out?"

            "To grant you the gift of immortality," Chaos smirked as he took one of his talons and slit a line along his wrist until black liquid started to slowly trickle out of the cut.  "Drink."

            "Drink?"

            "My blood will grant you eternal longevity.  Drink it.  It's what my Master wants," he said as gently as he could while flashing his razor-sharp teeth.

            Tifa looked into Chaos dark eyes and shuddered in fear.  He was a powerful creature that could tear apart a human like paper and easily killed the mako-creature.  She knew that he was a force that needed to be respected and never angered.  

            She watched the oozing black blood trickle down Chaos's wrist.  She had heard Vincent mention his immortality as a curse rather than a blessing.  She knew that she was in love with him and could see herself living with him until their dying days, but while she grew old and died he would stay young and live forever.  Tifa wasn't sure if she wanted to commit herself to becoming immortal.  She would have to sacrifice many things and forfeit a normal life.  It saddened her to think that she would have to watch all her friends and her friends' children die while she thrived.  Could she take this chance?

            Her mind drifted back to Vincent, the man who was offering her this gift.  Her heart didn't have the pull of two men to cast it into confusion; it now had to choose whether Vincent was the one.  Did she love him enough to spend an eternity with the mysterious, yet handsome Vincent Valentine?  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she finally made her decision.  Tifa held Chaos's wrist and put her lips up to the black liquid sucking the fluid until she felt it flow down her throat.

_____

A/N:     Finally done with this story, now I'm going to take a break before I resume my writing on my other two stories, _The Search is Over _and _Who's John ShinRa_.  Hope you liked the finish product and thanks to The Highwaywoman for reviewing my fic.  


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